| HLD | hepatolenticular degeneration; herniated lumbar disk; Hippel-Lindau disease; hypersensitivity lung d... |
|---|---|
| INCD | infantile nuclear cerebral degeneration |
| JMD | juvenile macular degeneration |
| MDT | mast [cell] degeneration test; mean dissolution time; median detection threshold; multidisciplinary ... |
| NFD | neurofibrillary degeneration |
| fatty degeneration | Abnormal formation of microscopically visible droplets of fat in the cytoplasm of cells, as a result of injury. Synonym: adipose degeneration, steatosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| Kuhnt-Junius degeneration | An obsolete eponym for disciform degeneration. Synonym: Kuhnt-Junius disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fibrinous degeneration | A process resulting in poorly defined, deeply acidophilic, homogeneous refractile deposits with some staining reactions that resemble fibrin, occurring in connective tissue, blood vessel walls, and other sites. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fibrous degeneration | Not a degeneration per se, but rather a reparative process; cells and foci of tissue previously affected with degenerative processes, and necrosis, are replaced by cellular fibrous tissue. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lenticular progressive degeneration | <gastroenterology, neurology> An inherited (autosomal recessive) disorder where there is excessive quantities of copper in the tissues, particularly the liver and central nervous system. Wilson's disease causes the body to absorb and retain copper. The copper deposits in the liver, brain, kidneys and eyes. Complications include dementia and liver failure. Symptoms include jaundice, vomiting, tremors, weakness and slow stiff movements. Blood tests show serum ceruloplasmin is low. Medications are given to remove the excess copper from the body. Even with life-long treatment, disabling (and life-threatening) side effects are common. Inheritance: autosomal recessive. (27 Sep 1997) |
| liquefaction degeneration | Necrosis with softening, as in ischemic brain tissue, dissolution of the basal epidermal layer by necrosis of scattered cells with oedema, observed in lichen planus, lupus erythematosus, and other dermatologic conditions. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adhesion phenomenon | A phenomenon manifested by the adherence of antigen-antibody-complement complex to "indicator cells" (microorganisms, platelets, leukocytes, or erythrocytes), the reaction being sensitive and specific for the antigen and antibody in the complex. Synonym: erythrocyte adherence phenomenon, immune adherence phenomenon, red cell adherence phenomenon. (05 Mar 2000) |
| AFORMED phenomenon | As induced pulsus alternans progresses, a state in which alternating heart depolarisations fail to eject any blood, thus allowing longer diastolic filling; the subsequent beat is then able to produce a significant ejection; at high rates the cardiac minute volume and blood pressure may appear normal. Origin: Alternating, failure of response, mechanical, to electrical depolarisation (05 Mar 2000) |
| all-or-nothing phenomenon | <physiology> Refers to the phenomenon where the strength of a nerve impulse is not dependent on the strength of the stimulus. Instead, there is a threshold level of stimulus strength that must be reached before the nerve will fire an impulse (at full capacity). Below the threshold, the nerve will not fire at all. <cardiology> It also refers to the same phenomenon observed in the heart muscle, which will either contract fully or not at all. <psychology> In studies of behaviour, it refers to the same phenomenon where a behavioural stimulus will either produce a complete response or no response at all. Also called all-or-nothing principle, all-or-none law, all-or-none responsiveness, etc. (15 Nov 1997) |
| Anrep phenomenon | Homeometric autoregulation of the heart whereby cardiac performance improves as the afterload (aortic pressure) is increased. (05 Mar 2000) |
| aqueous influx phenomenon | The filling of the aqueous vein, which normally carries blood and aqueous, with aqueous, when the junction of the aqueous vein and the recipient vein is partially occluded. Synonym: Ascher's aqueous influx phenomenon. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Arias-Stella phenomenon | Focal, unusual, decidual changes in endometrial epithelium, consisting of intraluminal budding, and nuclear enlargement and hyperchromatism with cytoplasmic swelling and vacuolation; may be associated with ectopic or uterine pregnancy. Synonym: Arias-Stella effect, Arias-Stella reaction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| arm phenomenon | In tetany, spasm both of the extensor muscles of the knee and of the calf muscles when the extended leg is flexed at the hip. Synonym: leg phenomenon, Pool-Schlesinger sign, Schlesinger's sign. In tetany, contraction of the arm muscles following the stretching of the brachial plexus by elevation of the arm above the head with the forearm extended, resembles the contraction resulting from stimulation of the ulnar nerve. Synonym: arm phenomenon. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Arthus phenomenon | A form of immediate hypersensitivity resulting in erythema, oedema, haemorrhage, and necrosis observed in rabbits after injection of antigen to which the animal has already been sensitised and has specific IgG antibodies. The reaction is caused by the inflammation that results from the deposition of antigen-antibody complexes in tissue spaces and in blood vessel walls that activate complement, most of the damage seemingly being due to the polymorphonuclear leukocytes that phagocytise the deposits and release lysosomal enzymes. The phenomenon, described by Arthus, was in rabbits, but similar reactions (Arthus-type reactions) are observed in guinea pigs, rats, and dogs, as well as in humans. See: Arthus reaction. Synonym: Arthus reaction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Ascher's aqueous influx phenomenon | The filling of the aqueous vein, which normally carries blood and aqueous, with aqueous, when the junction of the aqueous vein and the recipient vein is partially occluded. Synonym: Ascher's aqueous influx phenomenon. (05 Mar 2000) |